Wellness

[q-girl]

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@PINKdogWOOD wrote:

The deal with NutriSystem is portion control.  If you do this plan for a few months to maybe up to 7-8 or so I think you could really learn, understand and firmly get into portion control. 

Then after you get off this system, if you can make a commitment to much better food choices, the two combined can not just be a maintenance but a lifestyle.

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@PINKdogWOOD  I agree. When I did this previously, maintenance was perhaps not my first priority due to other issues in my life at that time. I need the structure to get through the weight loss. I learned from my last experience what I did wrong, and. can correct my mistake. Thank you for your considerate post.

Hugs . . .

[PINKdogWOOD]

@q-girl  Hugs back to you Ms. q-girl, and good for you for recognizing what you know needs changing.  Good luck this time!

[KonaKat]

Congratulations upon your weight loss. I lost a little over 50 pounds with Nutrisystem. I started with one of the Q offerings but switched over to ordering directly from NS in order to have a choice of foods. As you know the program is far more than eating packaged foods. It teaches portion control, healthy choices, how to eat out,  things to do to make things  tastier without overdoing it, etc.

It is a lifestyle change but the packaged foods do a great job of teaching portion control with the addition of approved fruits and veggies.  I still get an order about every 4 months as I like to have it on hand if I am in a hurry from work demands, etc.  I love the veggie lasagna and some of the other Italian entrees. I live in an area of limited choices for food, unless is country-style cooking laden with fat, so I shop in the city. The local supermarket discontinued its products for diabetics, etc. It no longer carries low-sodium products as most people did not buy them. Their choices of Lean Cuisine or WW entrees are even limited.

I eat out often but I know how to make good choices. A choice of meat, for example, will not be more than 4 oz. If it is, then part of it will go home.  I will at times have a dessert treat while out but don't eat these at home and limit it to once a month.  I read the nutritional info of various restaurants' menus and know what is acceptable in those restaurants when I go to the city.

The scale can be your friend when maintaining so if the once or twice a week weigh in shows a gain, you just adjust what you have been doing. Continuing to log your food is good as calories can be added easily from small snacks that may go forgotten. My snacks are things like low fat greek yogurt. I don't eat chips or similar things that don't contribute much nutritional value.

Nutrisystem is not just packaged food; it is an educational system that permits you to learn how to eat NS style without NS food. I just choose to keep ordering some of the entrees I like to use when busy as I don't like to spend much time in prep and cooking. The George Foreman is my friend also.

[hoosieroriginal]

Congrats!  I think the key is to transition to good regular food, not stay on the Nutrisystem.  That's the only way you are going to learn portion control.  I have tried Nutrisystem, but found it all tomato based and to me everything tasted the same.  I did not lose weight on it.  I find high protein diet works best for my body. 

[q-girl]

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@KonaKat wrote:

Congratulations upon your weight loss. I lost a little over 50 pounds with Nutrisystem. I started with one of the Q offerings but switched over to ordering directly from NS in order to have a choice of foods. As you know the program is far more than eating packaged foods. It teaches portion control, healthy choices, how to eat out,  things to do to make things  tastier without overdoing it, etc.

It is a lifestyle change but the packaged foods do a great job of teaching portion control with the addition of approved fruits and veggies.  I still get an order about every 4 months as I like to have it on hand if I am in a hurry from work demands, etc.  I love the veggie lasagna and some of the other Italian entrees. I live in an area of limited choices for food, unless is country-style cooking laden with fat, so I shop in the city. The local supermarket discontinued its products for diabetics, etc. It no longer carries low-sodium products as most people did not buy them. Their choices of Lean Cuisine or WW entrees are even limited.

I eat out often but I know how to make good choices. A choice of meat, for example, will not be more than 4 oz. If it is, then part of it will go home.  I will at times have a dessert treat while out but don't eat these at home and limit it to once a month.  I read the nutritional info of various restaurants' menus and know what is acceptable in those restaurants when I go to the city.

The scale can be your friend when maintaining so if the once or twice a week weigh in shows a gain, you just adjust what you have been doing. Continuing to log your food is good as calories can be added easily from small snacks that may go forgotten. My snacks are things like low fat greek yogurt. I don't eat chips or similar things that don't contribute much nutritional value.

Nutrisystem is not just packaged food; it is an educational system that permits you to learn how to eat NS style without NS food. I just choose to keep ordering some of the entrees I like to use when busy as I don't like to spend much time in prep and cooking. The George Foreman is my friend also.

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@KonaKat  Thanks much for sharing your experience and knowledge with me. You've given me some valuable ideas. 

You our are so right about learning to bring flavor without adding the bad stuff. Some of the NS food needs to be "flavored up".  But you learn how to work within your free foods and limited extras to make your food tasty - and you can transfer these lessons to your own food prep.

One of my favorite discoveries is Riced Cauliflower. It provides a non-starchy veggie, but can be used in place of rice under things like chili, soups and stews. The stinger flavor of the entree mostly masks the flavor of the cauliflower. Works for me, anyway.

Thanks agin

Hugs

[q-girl]

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@hoosieroriginal wrote:

Congrats!  I think the key is to transition to good regular food, not stay on the Nutrisystem.  That's the only way you are going to learn portion control.  I have tried Nutrisystem, but found it all tomato based and to me everything tasted the same.  I did not lose weight on it.  I find high protein diet works best for my body. 

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@hoosieroriginal I think different things work best for different people. It's important to find what works best for you. My son was able to lose over 100 lbs over seven years ago by healthy eating, portion control and moderate exercise. He has kep it off. Despite my best efforts, that was not successful for me. I need a more structured plan with a road map to follow.

Ok, before we begin to post about me being overweight, my son was overweight . . . so it must be the food I provided . . .I always tried to provide a healthy, but not overly strict diet. Both my husband's and my families were overweight, particularly mine. Can you have a genetic tendency (no, I am not using this for an excuse, not at all - I and only I control what gets put into my mouth) to gain weight easily? My brother was over 400 lbs most of his adult life, despite repeated attempts at weight loss, including gastric bypass surgery. I am not sure everyone could attain that weight if they tried.

Anyway, most importantly,  both my husband and son maintain a healthy weight and I am on my way. They are unendingly supportive, so I am anticipating success.

Hugs . . .

[GCR18]

I have two friends that lost 100 pounds on the program.  One didn't follow maintenance and one did.  Maintenance is key.  Congratulations on you success.

[q-girl]

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@hckynut wrote:

@q-girl

Never been one that used ready-to-eat type foods for weight management. It obviously is working for you, when you stick with it. Not much of a fan, but also realize these work for many people.

If you feel better and your nutrition needs are met with the foods that is a good thing. Congrats on your weight loss.

hckynut(john)

@hckynut I always enjoy reading your posts. They are thoughtful and well written, whatever thread they're posted in.

I feel sure my nutritional needs are being met. I had routine blood work done a week or so ago as part of my annual Medicare physical and my doc was pleased that all was well within normal limits. While I understand this was not a complete nutritional assessment, all "regular" things like cholesterol numbers, thyroid numbers, sugars, basic cardiac and kidney markers . . . All were good. 

Weight loss and and management can only enhance my overall health, and certainly can't hurt either my fibromyalgia or my issues resulting from degenerative spine disease.

As always, looking forward to seeing on the boards !

Hugs

[susan kay]

@q-girl, I don't think there's only one answer to weight loss. I lost about 20-22 lbs on nutrisystem, and that was over 10 years ago!  It just worked for me for a number of reasons.  I was going to lose weight.  Period!!  I did the 5 days on/weekends off program.  Carefully wrote down in my little notebook what I consumed.  Did I like all of the foods? No, but there were only two things that I wouldn't eat during the weeks that I was on their program.  I exercised during the weight loss, too.  I remember eating a McD's ice cream cone on one of my off days and remember how good it tasted to have that small treat, but I didn't overdo things on those off days.

Again, everyone is different, but if you are determined to lose weight, it will work for you. Clearly, I've realized what I can and cannot do, food wise.  I just now weigh myself periodically to make sure that I'm not gaining weight.  Exercise has always been part of my routine over the years

Stay with it.  Get down to the weight that you have as your goal.  It's not forever.....it's just a few weeks/months.  CONGRATULATIONS on your weight loss.

[Foolywooly11]

@q-girl: I've been considering trying it for quite some time, so, if you wouldn't mind answering a few questions: Did you start off with the "fast five"? Was it difficult that 1st week? How often did you feel hungry? How would you rate the food? Did you exercise while on Nutrisystem? Thanks for your time!